


The Counterfeit Prince

by BellaMortis



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Courtship, Impersonation, M/M, Prince and the Pauper
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 13:39:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1690286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellaMortis/pseuds/BellaMortis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A promise between the kings of Midgard and Asgard means that the crowned princes are pushed into an arranged marriage.  Of course, the Midgardian prince ends up...indisposed.  Thankfully, Tony Stark, owner of Stark Enterprises, is hired on for a very important duty.  After all, he looks just like the prince and, with some training, he can easily fulfill the prince's courting duties for a while.  Since Tony soon discovers that Crown Prince Loki is pretty much everything he looks for in a guy, he might even enjoy it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Counterfeit Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Unconventional Courtship Challenge. I'm sad I wasn't able to finish it, but posting in chapters allows for a more detailed story anyway. I hope to update it at least once a week. 
> 
> Based off the summary of the Mills & Boon Tender Romance _The Counterfeit Princess_ by Raye Morgan.

“This is stupid.”  Tony tugged at the ridiculous indigo jacket, trying to get the heavily embroidered and padded thing to fit comfortably.  It seemed that the original owner was just a bit less built in the shoulders than he was, which was the only uplifting thing in this whole mess.  “You can’t honestly tell me you think this is going to work."

 

Lounging comfortably on the settee, Fury looked every inch the disgruntled handler.  It made sense, really, considering he was being pulled away from whatever Duke-things he needed to do to be a glorified babysitter.  “Stark, you look just like the prince.  It will work.”

 

Sighing, Tony took another look in the gilded full-length mirror.  It was true that he looked just like Prince Cameron, especially when fitted in his royal pain-in-the-ass’s clothes.  The black trousers and sapphire button-up shirt were comfortable enough, being close to the standard attire that Tony wore for business, but he was still having some trouble with the jacket.  Sadly, since it was a royal ceremonial piece, it was the only thing he couldn’t drop from the outfit.  Tony resigned himself to being uncomfortable all evening.  

 

Not that it wasn’t going to be uncomfortable enough as it was, pretending to be the Prince of Midgard meeting his new fiancé for the first time.

 

His new fiancé that pretty much no one but maybe King Edward knew about.  Tony didn’t even know the name of the guy he was going to be forced into courting.

 

Seriously, fuck Prince Cameron and his unofficially sanctioned disappearing act.  And fuck Obediah for thinking it was a good idea to push Tony into this deal.

 

“This is going to be a disaster.  An interplanetary disaster.”

 

Oops.  He had actually said that out loud.

 

Fury sat up, placing his elbows on his knees and leaning forward.  In the mirror, Tony caught just how deadly serious the man’s face turned.  “We trained you in everything you need to know.  You’ll be fine.”  

 

Oh, the training.  Days upon days of special tips on royal etiquette, everything from the specifics of titles to just how different the customs between Midgard and Asgard really were.  It had reached the point where he would have happily taken a day-long board meeting over just one more hour of Ms. Romanoff’s lessons.  “Nicky-boy, you know that all the training in the world doesn’t actually make me Prince Cameron, right?”

 

The single eye narrowed at the nickname.  “It’s too late to get cold feet now, Stark.  We paid you and molded you as much as possible.  Just put on your big boy panties and don’t fuck it up.”

 

Tony rolled his shoulders, feeling the pull of too tight fabric.  Surely ceremonial pieces have extra-strength thread, right?  The embarrassment of a popped seam would just be the cherry on this shit sundae.  “Easy for you to say,” he grumbled.

 

***

 

Despite knowing how everything was supposed to go, Tony couldn’t help thinking that the first meeting of the royal Aesir party was just weird.  

 

For the sake of propriety, it was scheduled to be held in one of the smaller fourth floor conference halls of the New York Palace, where only a short list of delegates from both sides could fit comfortably.  It had been mandated that there be a large balcony to accommodate the Aesir way of travel, so Tony was able to look the out the open French doors onto a sea of people, all of whom most likely couldn’t see anything anyway.  He didn’t know why they weren’t just watching the thing at home.  Since this was an official royal meeting, the event was being filmed for live TV, something that didn’t exactly make Tony feel any less nervous.  As he walked in to step onto his side of the small dais that he and Cameron’s future husband were officially meeting on, he discretely wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers.  He figured it might be the only time he’d be able to do so discreetly.

 

It was only after everyone from the Midgard contingent filed into place that the Aesir party actually arrived.  

 

Tony just caught himself from letting his jaw drop when the colorful whirlwind lit down on the balcony, sending in a strong gust that ruffled the clothing of those nearest to the doors.  It didn’t matter that he had been informed about the effects of the Rainbow Bridge, it was still flashy and breathtaking.  Then the tunnel of colorful lights and noise disappeared, leaving smoking patches on the stone and a group of people that clearly didn’t come from anywhere on Midgard, or at least modern Midgard.  There were thirteen in all, just as agreed, and every single person in the group wore some form of armor, the silvers and golds polished until gleaming and long capes whipping in the remaining soft breeze.  Even the two women present were wearing some pieces, one a full set like the men and the other a detailed chest piece and vambraces atop her flowing robes.  

 

The oddest thing in Tony’s opinion, though, was the helmets.  Only three Aesir wore them, and those were the ones leading the procession into the room.  He assumed that the older one was most likely Odin, King of Asgard and friend to King Edward of Midgard, but he couldn’t tell which of the younger ones was actually the crown prince, since both Aesir walked the same calculated distance behind Odin.

 

Tony swallowed as he looked those two over.  The blonde beefcake wasn’t exactly his type, but he wouldn’t exactly kick him out of bed.  The other, though -

 

All Tony could think was hot damn.  Lean, leggy, and gorgeous, just how he liked ‘em.  Even the ridiculous helmet, which practically invited bad jokes with the two long, curved horns, couldn’t detract from just how delectable he was.  If he found that piece of ass in bed, he would work to keep him there.

 

“Okay there?”  

 

Tony had to pull himself away to glance back at Fury.  The Duke looked highly amused, so he put on his best polite sharp smile.  “Just dandy, Duke of Earl.”  Ignoring the eyeroll, he managed to turn back just as the Aesir made it to the dais.

 

King Edward, who was standing to the other side of Fury, stepped forward into Tony’s line of sight and smiled.  “Greetings, friends of Midgard.  I, Edward Smythe, welcome you and yours.”

 

“Greetings, King Edward,” Odin said, knocking the honest-to-goodness golden spear that he was carrying against the marble tiles with a ringing sound.  “I, Odin Borson, thank you for your hospitality on behalf of me and mine.”  He gestured to Prince Gorgeous.  “This is my heir, here, as promised, to marry your son.”

 

King Edward moved to stand beside Tony, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.  It was a strange, since it was the first attention that he had even gotten from the man.  After all, the king had usually been too busy to bother checking in on his son’s doppelganger.  “This is my heir, Prince Cameron.  I am sure that their marriage will unite our planets in glorious harmony.”

 

At the king’s ceremonial words, Tony noticed that Prince Gorgeous’ lip twitched slightly.  From the spark in his green eyes, he probably found it ridiculous.  

 

Good.  So did Tony.

 

Odin bowed the calculated amount that a visiting king from Asgard should, and stepped back slightly.  Prince Loki moved forward in his place, stepping onto the dais across from Tony.  When he spoke, there was the slightest bit of humor in his smooth voice.  “I am Crown Prince Loki Odinson of Asgard.”  He reached out and grabbed Tony’s hand with cool fingers, bringing it up to his lips as he bowed the correct distance.  “I am honored to be your intended, Prince Cameron Smythe,” he said softly against the first two knuckles.

 

Tony actually had to struggle for the right words, because, well, lips were touching him.  It was the fact that he had the king’s hand on his shoulder, Fury’s don’t fuck it up ringing in his head, and the eyes of the world on him that made him snap into his business persona, wide smile and all.  “As am I to be yours, Prince Loki Odinson.”

 

When the Áss prince raised his head again, still holding Tony’s hand, his expression turned just as impersonal.  As the flashes of personal cameras went off around them, Tony found he missed the spark of humor.

 

***

 

“You did well out there,” Fury said later, back in the Prince’s - well, now Tony’s rooms.  Since the show was now on, the base of operations had moved.  After all, no one wanted the Aesir asking why ‘Cameron’ didn’t sleep in his own bed.

 

Tony slid off the tight jacket, glad to see that it had gathered no new holes, and shrugged.  “I was basically a trained monkey with the right looks.”

 

Fury laughed, reaching for the drink that was sitting on the ornate tea table next to him.  Making it had been the first thing he did when they walked into the room.  “Well, keep it up, Bobo.  You just need to make it until the wedding, and then you’re home free.”

 

“Hey, terrible nicknames are my thing, buddy.”  Tossing the jacket carelessly on the bed, Tony went over to the full length mirror - seriously, did every room here have one of these? - and ran a hand through his hair.  “So, what’s next on the agenda again?  Dinners?  Dancing?  Moonlit walks on the beach?”

 

Fury took another sip.  “A combination of all three.  Don’t forget that there’s the Engagement Ball tomorrow night, followed by a lot of scheduled dates for you two lovebirds.”

 

Oh, yeah, Tony had forgotten about that.  “Scheduled dates.  That sounds so,” he waved his hand, “stilted and dull.”

 

Fury shrugged.  “Welcome to the wonderful world of royal engagements, Stark.  Just be glad you don’t have to actually marry the guy.”

 

“Hmm, good point.”  After all, the Áss was hot, but actually marrying the guy?  Tony shuddered.

  
Maybe it wasn’t so bad not being a prince.

**Author's Note:**

> Want to listen to me rant/rave about writing and watch me reblog like a 13 year old girl on pixie dust? Here's my [Tumblr](http://lexamortis.tumblr.com/).


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